A few weeks ago, I was hired as a content marketing consultant for a FinTech company that is creating an investment app for a very specific market with very specific needs.
A couple of days after that, I was in Austin for a speaking engagement where I was brought in to explain what credit card issuers could do to better connect with consumers online.
The main issue that came up constantly was that consumers, for the most part, have a lack of trust in the financial industry. Because there’s a lack of trust, it’s a lose-lose situation. Consumers lose out on tools that can help them with their finances, while companies lose out on customers.
The question then becomes: how can companies create trust with their audience? How can they use content marketing in a way that potential buyers will begin to like, know and rely on them?
Here are the three key elements you need in your startup’s content marketing strategy, based on my experience building a brand as a financial expert and helping other companies.
Start with the bigger issue at hand
Since I usually get brought in to discuss how to market to millennials, I’m going to use that as an example of how having a “why” beyond making money is important in building trust.
Clearly, no entrepreneur is in the small business field for his or her health. We all need to make money to eat. And, some of us, want to build wealth. While there’s nothing wrong with making money, that’s not necessarily something your consumers may relate to.
Take millennials, as an example. We are a very socially conscious generation. We will not give our money to companies that we know are doing harm. We will, however, give our money to companies that stand behind certain causes or that are doing their part to fix a social issue.
So how does this work in a content marketing strategy?
The FinTech app I was working with isn’t just another investment app. They are marketing to Latinos, a community that, according to Prudential, has an access problem when it comes to retirement savings and investing.
Only 30 percent of Latinos have access to an employee-sponsored retirement plan where they can invest their money for their future, and part of this FinTech app’s mission is to fix this issue in the community through the educational resources they provide.
In other words, this app is starting with the bigger “why” behind the company. They aren’t just trying to make money, they’re trying to solve a big problem for a group of people. Every piece of content marketing they put out from this point forward is done through the lens of solving this issue.
Related: 7 Ways to Know if Your Content Marketing is Actually Working
Identify and address objections in your content marketing strategy
One of the key factors to getting potential buyers to trust you is to address their concerns through your content marketing.
Let’s take the investment app as an example. When trying to get people to invest (and use an app to do it) several objections and concerns may arise, including:
- Do I need to buy individual stocks?
- Is my information safe and secure?
- Don’t I run the risk of losing all my money if the market crashes?
- Isn’t my money better off liquid?
- I’m scared. Investing seems complicated.
- I need liquid cash, not money that’s tied up.
- Don’t I need a ton of money? Where am I going to find that?
Most of these concerns can be traced to a lack of basic financial education. Therefore, the content marketing strategy of the company will now include educational pieces that explain how investing actually works and what the benefits are.
Essentially, by addressing their market’s fears head on, they are priming the market to use the app correctly. This helps potential customers feel safer and like they are being provided with significant value. Over time, this helps build trust in the eyes of potential buyers.
Related: Sign up to receive the StartupNation newsletter!
Weave in real stories
People buy from those they like, know and trust. One of the quickest ways to build this relationship is by weaving real stories into your content marketing.
In the previous example, the co-founders of the app are part of the very market they are catering to. Since they are also Latino, they have real-life stories they can share about common financial struggles the community faces.
In particular, they plan to share their stories of being a part of the sandwich generation that has to care for their parents and their children simultaneously and how that affects their finances.
They will share this in hopes of not just being relatable, but also to portray why it’s important that people save for retirement; so that they break the cycle of future generations being caught in the middle and repeating history.
Solving a bigger societal problem? Check!
Addressing concerns through education? Check!
Using real stories to relate to the audience and get their point across? Check!
A single story helps this company accomplish all the major components of a marketing strategy that builds trust over time. By weaving these components into your own content marketing strategy, you’ll also be able to build the strong bond you need to acquire and retain customers.
